The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Character Creation FAQ

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Morrowind: Comprehensive Character Creation
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"I obsess over details so that you don't have to." - Redrum.and.Coke
============
Legal Notice
============
Copyright 2005 Michael Fechner
This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a
violation of copyright.
========
Contents
========
A. Introduction
B. Disclaimer
1. Warning
C. Magicka Prerequisite
D. Pre-Made Classes
1. Race/Class Chart
2. Birth Sign Selection
E. Custom Classes: Race Driven
1. Class Specialization
2. Redundant Skills
a. Offense
b. Defense
c. Miscellaneous
3. Skill Selection
a. Insider Skill Charts
b. Mercantile Mischief
c. Running & Jumping
4. Major or Minor?
5. Favorite Attributes
6. Birthsigns
a. The Apprentice
b. The Atronach
c. The Lady
d. The Lord
e. The Lover
f. The Mage
g. The Ritual
h. The Serpent
i. The Shadow
j. The Steed
k. The Thief
l. The Tower
m. The Warrior
7. Recommendations
a. Argonian
b. Breton
c. Dark Elf
d. High Elf
e. Imperial
f. Khajiit
g. Nord
h. Orc
i. Redguard
j. Wood Elf
F. Custom Classes: Class Driven
1. Skill Selection
2. Major or Minor?
3. Favorite Attributes
4. Class Specialization
5. Race Determination
6. Birthsign
G. Conclusion
H. Contact Info
===============
A. Introduction
===============
Why now? Why write a FAQ for a three year old game when its sequel, Oblivion,
is due out later this year (per current speculation - subject to change). It
is because of Oblivion that I write this FAQ. There are those of us who, upon
viewing the demo (after the oohs and aahs, of course), that went "Oh! but I
still haven't solved Morrowind (let alone its 2 expansions)." It is not
through lack of playing that we have failed in this endeavor, it is through
lack of playing with any one character long enough. We create a character,
play as that character, and before long sack that character for another.
Eventually we tire of Seyda Neen and begin playing UT2004 instead. The goal of
this FAQ is to help others (and myself) carve & chisel out a strong character
foundation that can be sanded & polished (through game play) into our
respective Morrowind personas that will withstand the tests of time
(i.e. that we can finally solve the damn game with).
=============
B. Disclaimer
=============
A bit of that bears repeating:
"carve & chisel out a strong character foundation that can be sanded &
polished (through game play) into our respective Morrowind personas".
Take note that character creation does not end when you begin to play the
game, it merely enters another phase. How you play further defines who you
are. The important thing to take from this is that you should not expect to be
completely satisfied with your character at the game's onset as he/she is
still a work in progress (truly ending only when you quit the game for good).
So, if you find that after playing awhile you wish you had done something
just a bit differently, resist the urge to start over and simply refine your
character from within the current game.
Morrowind allows for a great deal of flexibility by virtue of its skill
advancement system wherein skills level up from repeated use. You can practice
a minor skill, that you are now thinking should have been made a major skill,
up to that level by focusing on it for a bit. E.g. You could sneak whenever
you find yourself by NPCs to build up that skill. You can even add a misc
skill (that you wish you had included in your original skill-set) to your
repertoire by paying some NPCs to train it up to the minor skill level and can
then practice it (or pay more money if you find you have surplus gold . . .
you damn thief!) further if you desire it to be a major skill. Also, if you
find that the game is too easy/difficult with your current character, simply
adjust the sliding difficulty meter accordingly.
On the other hand, if what you seek is a drastic change (e.g. you want to
change your race because you can no longer stand the way your Khajiit waddles
to and fro or you have determined that spell casting is not your forte and
would like to change your specialization to combat because you want to bash
Fargoth over the head with a warhammer . . . don't we all), then you will
indeed need to start over with a new chunk of stone . . . er, character
(though you should retain that save file in case you change your mind).
In summation, you should only start over if you desire to change your race
and/or class specialization. All other minor changes/refinements can and
should be done from within the game to avoid the dreaded "restart syndrome"
(as I have seen it worded in various Morrowind forums).
----------
1. Warning
----------
This FAQ is intended for game players with a basic comprehension of Morrowind.
Beginners should look elsewhere and return later.
=======================
C. Magicka Prerequisite
=======================
Insufficient magicka can be another cause for a restart. A character's maximum
Magicka is determined during character creation and, for the most part, cannot
be corrected in-game. Your intelligence (and therefore your magicka) can be
raised above normal levels through potions/enchantments but it is a whole lot
easier/cheaper to simply choose the correct race/birthsign at the start.
That's what this section is for. The following chart is based on the
assumption that the more magic schools (out of 6: Destruction, Alteration,
Illusion, Conjuration, Mysticism, & Restoration) in your skill-set the more
often you will be casting spells, and greater spell casting frequency requires
a larger total magicka pool. If you adhere to the guidelines laid out here
there should be no reason to restart the game due to magicka related issues.
Note: The following charts dismiss the multipliers in favor of the real-game
magicka equivalents and assume an intelligence of 100.
MAGIC | MAGICKA REQUIREMENTS |
SCHOOLS | Min | Med | Max |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
1 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
2 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
3 | 200 | 250 | 300 |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
4 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
5 | 300 | 350 | 400 |
--------|-------|-------|-------|
6 | 350 | 400 | 450 |
--------------------------------|
These charts are fairly straightforward to use. The above chart is for
determining your character's magicka requirement per the number of magic
schools in its skill-set. Minimum magicka is just enough for the indicated
number of magic schools while medium & maximum magicka allow for increasingly
heavier casting in those magic schools and/or the flexibility to learn 1 or 2
(respectively) additional magic schools in the late game. Use the chart below
to determine the correct combination of race and birthsign to meet your
specific magicka needs. E.g. A Breton with the Atronach would have 350 maximum
magicka which is ideal for a class with 4 - 6 magic schools.
| B I R T H S I G N S
RACES |---------------------------------------------------|
| All Others | Mage | Apprentice | Atronach |
-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|
All Others | 100 | 150 | 250 | 300 |
-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|
Breton | 150 | 200 | 300 | 350 |
-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|
High Elf | 250 | 300 | 400 | 450 |
---------------------------------------------------------------|
Note: See "D.2. Birth Sign Selection" for more specific magicka requirement
examples.
===================
D. Pre-Made Classes
===================
The majority of character creation FAQs neglect this topic as it is clearly
not the optimal way to create a character. For the indecisive amongst us,
however, it can be a viable option. A custom class requires that you make no
fewer than 15 decisions (see "E. Custom Classes: Race Driven") at the game's
beginning while with a pre-made class you need only make 3 (race, class,
& birthsign), though this can translate into more time spent revising your
character in-game.
Each race has 45 racial skill bonuses. The following chart shows the # of
those bonuses that match a class's skill-set (e.g. 25 of the Argonian's 45
racial skill bonuses match the warrior's major/minor skill-set). The # in
parentheses is the number of Magic schools within each class's skill-set.
Note: Within each specialization the classes are ordered from most to least
pure (according to Bethesda). I.e. A warrior is more combat ready than a
rogue, a mage is more magical than a nightblade, and a thief is stealthier
than a bard.
-------------------
1. Race/Class Chart
-------------------
I will not list specifics on each class as that has already been well done by
RBryant's "Pre-generated Character Class List" which you can also find on
GameFAQs under Morrowind FAQs.
|Argo-|Bre- |Dark |High |Imp- |Kha- |Nord |Orc |Red- |Wood |
Combat |nian |ton |Elf |Elf |erial|jiit | | |guard|Elf |
----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
Warriors (0) | 25 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 45 | 45 | 40 | 15 |
Barbarians (0) | 25 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 20 | 30 |
Crusaders (2) | 10 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 5 |
Knights (1) | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 45 | 30 | 0 |
Scouts (1) | 30 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 40 |
Archers (1) | 30 | 10 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 35 |
Rogues (0) | 20 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 40 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 10 |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Magic | | | | | | | | | | |
----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
Mages (6) | 20 | 45 | 25 | 45 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Sorcerers (5) | 15 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
Healers (4) | 20 | 35 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 15 |
Battlemages (4) | 10 | 30 | 25 | 40 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 20 |
Witchhunters (2)| 15 | 25 | 15 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 40 |
Spellswords (3) | 10 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 15 | 0 | 35 | 25 | 30 | 5 |
Nightblades (4) | 15 | 20 | 35 | 20 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 35 |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Stealth | | | | | | | | | | |
----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
Thieves (0) | 15 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 30 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 40 |
Agents (2) | 10 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 25 |
Assassins (0) | 20 | 5 | 30 | 10 | 15 | 40 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 45 |
Acrobats (1) | 25 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 40 |
Monks (1) | 20 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 35 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
Pilgrims (2) | 15 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 5 | 5 |
Bards (1) | 15 | 10 | 5 | 25 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 10 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are two primary ways to utilize this chart:
1. Race Driven - Starting with a preferred race you would scan down its column
to determine the optimum class. E.g. If you know that you
want to be a Dark Elf you would look down that column and see
that a Nightblade (35) is the best match, though a Sorcerer
or an assassin (both 30) would also make fine choices.
2. Class Driven - Starting with a preferred class you would scan across its
row to determine the optimum race. E.g. If you would like to
be an assassin you would scan across its row and see that
a Wood Elf (45) is the best match, though a Khajiit (40)
could also fit.
-----------------------
2. Birth Sign Selection
-----------------------
12 of the 13 birth signs are divided evenly amongst the three class
specializations as written in the Firmament (book - Seyda Neen Census &
Excise Office). The 13th, the Serpent, is of no consideration as it (quite
frankly) sucks.
Note: The following are written in order from most to least preferred
(according to me). I.e. I prefer The Lady over The Lord.
Combat: The Lady, The Warrior, The Steed, and The Lord.
Magic: The Atronach, The Mage, The Apprentice, and The Ritual.
Stealth: The Lover, The Thief, the Shadow, and the Tower.
First, determine your class's Magic School count. Use that number, in
conjunction with the Magicka Requirement chart, to calculate how much Magicka
your character will need. If your chosen race has sufficient magicka for their
profession then you can pick freely from amongst the signs in your
specialization's grouping.
Example 1 - An Orcish Knight has only one school of magic in its skill-set so
it will need a minimum of 100 magicka which the Orc competently
provides. Therefore, we can choose any of the following:
the Lady, the Warrior, the Steed, or the Lord.
However, if you find that your race's magicka is deficient, you will need to
select one of the three magicka boosting signs (Mage, Apprentice, or
Antronach). If even the Atronach will not bring your magicka up to the
necessary level then you will need to change your race and/or class.
Example 2 - A Khajiit Agent has 2 schools of magic in its skill-set so it will
it will need a minimum of 150 magicka. A Khajiit only offers 100
magicka so we will need to add an appropriate birthsign. The Mage
is perfect as it provides an additional 50 magicka
(100 + 50 = 150) which is just enough.
Example 3 - An Argonian Mage has 6 schools of magic in its skill-set so it
will need a minimum of 350 magicka. However, even with the
Atronach (100 + 200 = 300) it still falls short so that race/class
combination will not work. An Astute reader will have noticed that
only a Breton with the Atronach (150 + 200 = 350), or a High Elf
with the Apprentice (250 + 150 = 400) or Atronach
(250 + 200 = 450), can adequately be Mages.
See "E.6. Birthsigns" for specifics on the individual birthsigns.
==============================
E. Custom Classes: Race Driven
==============================
Here we shall focus on tailoring a custom class to a specific race. This
method is somewhat of a power-gamer's approach as it is most concerned with
maximizing the bonus points within your skill-set, though it can also be
argued that it is role-playing since we are only taking each race where its
natural tendencies lead it.
The Morrowind game manual gives racial descriptions but I feel each race's
specials could have been detailed better, so I will do that here. Quick note,
abilities are always active, powers can only be used once per 24 hour period,
and spells (that are specials) will always succeed when cast.
~~~~~~~~
Argonian
~~~~~~~~
Resist Common Disease (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
Resist Poison (ability): range-self, magnitude 100.
Water Breathing (spell, cost 5): range-self, duration 120.
~~~~~~
Breton
~~~~~~
Fortify Maximum Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 5.
- see "C. Magicka Prerequisite"
Shield (power): range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
Resist Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
~~~~~~~~
Dark Elf
~~~~~~~~
Resist Fire (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
Sanctuary (power): range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
~~~~~~~~
High Elf
~~~~~~~~
Fortify Maximum Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 15.
- see "C. Magicka Prerequisite"
Weakness to Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
Weakness to Fire (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
Weakness to Frost (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
Weakness to Shock (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
Resist Common Disease (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
~~~~~~~~
Imperial
~~~~~~~~
Absorb Fatigue (power): range-target, duration 1, magnitude 200.
Charm (power): range-target, duration 15, magnitude 25 - 50.
~~~~~~~
Khajiit
~~~~~~~
Demoralize Humanoid (power): range-target, duration 30, magnitude 100.
Night Eye (spell, cost 0): range-self, duration 30, magnitude 50.
~~~~
Nord
~~~~
Frost Damage (power): range-touch, duration 1, magnitude 25.
Shield (power): range-self, duration 60, magnitude 30.
Resist Shock (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
Resist Frost (ability): range-self, magnitude 100.
~~~
Orc
~~~
Berserk (power)
Fortify Health: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 20.
Fortify Fatigue: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 200.
Fortify Attack: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 100.
Drain Agility: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 100.
Resist Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
~~~~~~~~
Redguard
~~~~~~~~
Adrenalin (power)
Fortify Agility: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
Fortify Strength: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
Fortify Speed: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
Fortify Endurance: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 50.
Fortify Health: range-self, duration 60, magnitude 25.
Resist Poison (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
Resist Common Disease (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
~~~~~~~~
Wood Elf
~~~~~~~~
Command Creature (power): range-target, duration 600, magnitude 5.
Resist Disease (ability): range-self, magnitude 75.
-----------------------
1. Class Specialization
-----------------------
The first step is to determine your race's specialization. All skills within
the chosen specialization will receive +5 pts therefore this should be the
area wherein the majority of your race's skills already lie. Use the following
table as a guide. E.g. The Imperial has 2 combat skills (blunt weapon & long
blade) which could award us 10 specialty points if we chose combat but stealth
is the better pick as there are 4 stealth skills (hand to hand, light armor,
mercantile, & speechcraft) which would give us 20 specialty points instead.
Note: Asterisks denote best matches. See your game manual to determine each
race's racial skill bonuses.
| M O R R O W I N D R A C E S |
SPECIAL-|Argo-|Bre- |Dark |High |Imp- |Kha- |Nord |Orc |Red- |Wood |
IZATION |nian |ton |Elf |Elf |erial|jiit | | |guard|Elf |
--------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
Combat | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | *6* | *5* | *6* | 0 |
Magic | *4* | *6* | 2 | *6* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Stealth | 0 | 0 | *3* | 0 | *4* | *6* | 0 | 0 | 1 | *4* |
--------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------
2. Redundant Skills
-------------------
Before we begin to select our skills we must discuss the issue of redundancy.
For our purposes, a skill is redundant if it performs the same function as
another skill in our major/minor skill-set. Training would have to be divided
amongst these similar skills and hence progress would be retarded (in direct
correlation to the # of redundant skills) and/or one or more of those similar
skills would be neglected and hence a major/minor skill slot(s) would have
been wasted. Combat is the biggest culprit of this crime of inefficiency. We
shall discuss both aspects of combat - offense and defense - in turn starting
with the former.
~~~~~~~~~~
a. Offense
~~~~~~~~~~
To better illustrate how redundancy can affect offense, let us look at two
opposing Redguards: Alex & Brian. Both of them have majored in long blade and
so start out at level 50 in that field but Brian has also decided to
major/minor in the arts of the axe, blunt weapon, and short blade. When Alex
has achieved level 90 in the long blade, Brian will have only reached level
60, as he has had to divide his training time amongst four melee weapons
(thereby advancing at 1/4 the rate of Alex). Advantage: Alex.
If Brian had let his three additional weapon studies fall by the wayside so as
to keep pace with Alex in regards to the long blade, then they would both be
equally skilled in regards to swordplay. However Alex, who has also
majored/minored in three additional - but non redundant - skills, has been
able to purchase a superior dai-katana for 20% off retail (mercantile), has
laced said blade with poison (enchant), and has even fortified his fatigue by
200 (restoration). Alex has been able to train all of these skills
concurrently, without conflict, because they do not directly compete for
training time. Again, advantage: Alex.
But before you run off into the Vvardenfell wilderness with just a long blade
you should know that versatility counts for something too. There will be
moments when a melee weapon, even in the hands of a skilled warrior, is not
what the situation calls for. Sometimes your enemy will lie just out of sword
striking distance (often while hurling fireballs). Sure, you could run/jump
after them, but doing so would give your opponent the advantage. The more you
run the more fatigue you expend. The lower your fatigue the harder it becomes
to successfully perform an action. Therefore, the farther you run to attack an
enemy, the less likely you are to actually hit them. Seems counter-productive,
doesn't it?
Sooner or later, you will also find yourself outnumbered, outclassed, or both.
In such encounters, it would be of great benefit to weaken/reduce the enemy
(to something more manageable) before repeatedly exchanging blows at melee
range. Indeed, one of the most effective battlefield tactics in Vvardenfell is
to initiate combat with a ranged weapon and then to finish the already wounded
enemy off with a melee weapon (after they have exhausted their own fatigue in
running up to greet you). Concerning the entertainment aspect of combat, a
second (or third) offensive skill can help break up the monotony of battle.
Afterall, you wouldn't want to play a fighting game and only be allowed to
punch, would you? No, of course not. You want to be able to kick (and maybe
even throw) an opponent as well.
The optimum set-up, in my not so humble opinion, is two offensive skills: one
melee weapon and one ranged weapon. This is a good balance between focus and
versatility. If you'd rather have a stronger focus (at the cost of versatility)
then choose only one offensive skill (preferably a melee weapon). Conversely,
if you'd rather have greater versatility (at the cost of focus) then choose
three offensive skills (E.g. one melee, one ranged, & one misc).
MELEE RANGED MISC
----------- ----------- -----------
axe destruction conjuration
blunt weapon marksman hand to hand
long blade spear*
short blade
spear*
* Yes, the spear is listed twice, as I consider it to be a ranged weapon for
the combat class character. It has almost twice the attack range of the other
melee weapon types (while using the best attack option) and will therefore
give you first strike in most melee confrontations (while earning you
multipliers for endurance). If destruction is the mage's way of saying hello
without shaking hands and marksman is the thief's ability to snipe from a safe
distance, then the spear is the warrior's means of dispatching cliff racers
without having to jump up and down like a frenzied bunny rabbit. Of course, it
would revert back to its former function as a melee weapon for a character
with destruction or marksman.
~~~~~~~~~~
b. Defense
~~~~~~~~~~
Defense is somewhat simpler to discuss as versatility is not a factor. All
armor classes will help to protect you from physical damage (i.e. you do not
need to be wearing one type of armor to defend against a long blade and a
different type to absorb a war hammer's blow). The balancing act in this
circus is mobility versus absorption.
The latter is what we typically judge an armor's defensive capability by - how
much damage will this armor aborb so that I don't have to? The former is also
important defensively, however, as it defines how easily you are able to move
in and out of your opponent's attack range and/or sidestep their magical
attacks. Good mobility also allows for a hasty retreat if things aren't going
your way ("Run away! Run away!") whereas the warrior clad in heavy iron armor
has no alternative but to duke it out and hope for the best. Generally
speaking, lighter armor allows for greater mobility but less absorption, while
heavier armor provides greater absorption but less mobility.
Armor Misc
----------- -----------
unarmored block
light
medium
heavy
Your armor selection will depend on the methodology you are employing to
create your character. For race-driven characters, it will be the armor class
that garners the most bonus points (see "E.3. Skill Selection"). For
class-driven characters, it will be the armor class that most closely matches
your theme (see "F. Custom Classes - Class Driven"). In either situation, know
that the optimum set-up will be only one armor class (make it a major),
certainly never more than two. The isolated instances where one should
specialize in two armor classes are easily defined as follows.
Obviously, wearing a complete suit of armor (helmet, cuirass, both pauldrons,
both gauntlets/bracers, greaves, boots, and a shield) will give you the
highest possible armor rating in the light, medium, or heavy armor classes
(do not mix and match). For unarmored, the reverse is true, but more on that
in a bit. The "isolated instances" previously alluded to concern beast races
and two-handed weapons. Neither the Argonian nor the Khajiit (being beasts)
can wear boots. Also, if you are brandishing a weapon that requires both
hands, then you cannot simultaneously hold a shield. If you meet both of the
above conditions (E.g. An Argonian wielding a spear), then you should minor in
unarmored as it will factor in for the missing boots and shield. If you meet
only one of the requirements then you can minor in unarmored if you want to,
but its not really necessary.
Of course, all of this is a moot point if you have decided to make your major
armor class unarmored (the armor class of no armor, how very Confucius).
According to the manual, "Those versed in this skill are better defended
wearing no armor at all than they are when wearing armor." Almost, but not
quite right, Bethesda. There is the infamous unarmored glitch to take into
account. Apparently, when taking damage, your unarmored skill will not factor
in unless you are wearing at least one piece of armor. Unfortunately, wearing
that piece of armor will lower your "unarmored" armor rating in the same way
that not wearing an armor component will lower your "light/medium/heavy" armor
rating. To minimize this just wear one gaunlet/bracer (left or right, not
both) as it comprises the smallest percentage of your armor rating. An
interesting alternative is to carry a shield and major in unarmored & block,
the idea here being that whatever you cannot dodge you can block. Neither of
these solutions warrants minoring in another armor class though, for the
shield/block idea, you can if you really want too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
c. Miscellaneous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You don't need security if you have both alteration (use the "open" spell) &
mysticism (use "telekinesis to discharge traps from a safe distance) and you
won't need speechcraft if you have illusion (just cast "charm/frenzy").
Illusion's chameleon spell can also substitue for the sneak skill, though it
can also complement it if stealth is a main focus of your character.
------------------
3. Skill Selection
------------------
Now we need to select the 10 skills that best maximize the bonus points (out
of a possible 90) we receive in our starting skill-set. The following charts
show the bonus points (combined racial & specialization) a skill would receive
for a given race and its matching specialization. Skills typed in all caps are
racial skills. Try to pick as many of these as possible as we are, after all,
focusing on the race here. Be sure to read through "E.2. Redundant Skills"
before proceeding to the insider skills charts below.
Note: For our purposes, an outsider skill shall be defined as any skill that
does not award a particular race/class combination bonus points as it is
outside that race/class's parameters whereas an insider skill is any skill
that does award a particular race/class combination bonus points as it is
inside that race/class's parameters. E.g. For the combat specialized Nord,
alchemy would be an outsider skill whereas the axe would be an insider skill.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a. Insider Skill Charts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BONUS |C O M B A T S P E C I A L I Z E D R A C ES|
PTS | Nord | Orc | Redguard |
----------------------------------------------------|
+20 | | | LONGBLADE |
----------------------------------------------------|
+15 | AXE | ARMORER | |
| BLUNT WEAPON | BLOCK | |
| MEDIUM ARMOR | HEAVY ARMOR | |
| | MEDIUM ARMOR | |
----------------------------------------------------|
+10 | HEAVY ARMOR | AXE | ATHLETICS |
| LONG BLADE | | AXE |
| SPEAR | | BLUNT WEAPON |
| | | HEAVY ARMOR |
| | | MEDIUM ARMOR |
----------------------------------------------------|
+5 | armorer | athletics | SHORT BLADE |
| athletics | blunt Weapon | armorer |
| block | long blade | block |
| | spear | spear |
----------------------------------------------------|
When using these charts, you will notice that some race/class combinations
have less than ten insider skills associated with bonus points (especially
when the redundant skills have been subtracted out). In these instances,
simply add the necessary outsider skill(s) to complete the set. Choose skills
that fill a void (like giving a High Elf Mage that missing melee weapon) or
that complement an existing insider skill (like granting a Redguard Warrior
the ability to enchant his/her long blade).
Conversely, if you have an excess number of insider skills to select from,
simply subtract the unnecessary insider skill(s) from the lowest tier (+5).
Be careful not to leave a void - like taking the short blade away from a Wood
Elf and leaving him/her without a melee weapon.
BONUS |M A G I C S P E C I A L I Z E D R A C E S |
PTS | Argonian | Breton | High Elf |
----------------------------------------------------|
+15 | ATHLETICS | CONJURATION | ALCHEMY |
| | MYSTICISM | DESTRUCTION |
| | RESTORATION | ENCHANT |
----------------------------------------------------|
+10 | ALCHEMY | ALCHEMY | ALTERATION |
| ILLUSION | ALTERATION | CONJURATION |
| MYSTICISM | ILLUSION | ILLUSION |
| UNARMORED | | |
----------------------------------------------------|
+5 | MEDIUM ARMOR | destruction | mysticism |
| SPEAR | enchant | restoration |
| alteration | unarmored | unarmored |
| conjuration | | |
| destruction | | |
| enchant | | |
| restoration | | |
----------------------------------------------------|
If two or more skills are tied (i.e. they award an equal number of bonus
points) then you may want to base your decision on their governing attributes.
You should strive to include skills governed by as many different attributes
as possible (see "E.5. Favorite Attributes"). Also, the higher a particular
attribute (including any bonus from being a favorite skill or from a
birthsign), the greater the number of skills governed by it within your skill
set (ideally). So, if you are undecided between two skills, you can either
select the one governed by an attribute not yet covered or choose the one
governed by the higher attribute. The former promotes balance while the latter
promotes focus.
BONUS | S T E A L T H S P E C I A L I Z E D R A C E S |
PTS | Dark Elf | Imperial | Khajiit | Wood Elf |
-------------------------------------------------------------------|
+20 | | | ACROBATICS | MARKSMAN |
-------------------------------------------------------------------|
+15 | SHORT BLADE | MERCANTILE | | LIGHT ARMOR |
| | SPEECHCRAFT | | SNEAK |
-------------------------------------------------------------------|
+10 | DESTRUCTION | HAND TO HAND | HAND TO HAND | ACROBATICS |
| LIGHT ARMOR | LIGHT ARMOR | LIGHT ARMOR | |
| MARKSMAN | LONG BLADE | SECURITY | |
| | | SHORTBLADE | |
| | | SNEAK | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------|
+5 | ATHLETICS | BLUNT WEAPON | ATHLETICS | ALCHEMY |
| LONG BLADE | acrobatics | marksman | hand to hand |
| MYSTICISM | marksman | mercantile | mercantile |
| acrobatics | security | speechcraft | security |
| hand to hand | short blade | | short blade |
| mercantile | sneak | | speechcraft |
| security | | | |
| sneak | | | |
| speechcraft | | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
b. Mercantile Mischief
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is an issue with mercantile that some call a bug while others refer to
it as an intentional design. Regardless of who is right, the situation needs
to be examined more closely. At level 100, mercantile not only lowers the
cost of items you buy but also of items you sell. It actually operates on a
bell curve. As your mercantile skill rises you will get more and more money
for items you sell until said skill level reaches the apex of that curve, then
you will get less and less gold for each subsequent skill increase. In theory,
you could cease to barter once your mercantile skill reaches that level, but
the bell curve changes from merchant to merchant as their mercantile skill is
also a factor - There is no magic mercantile skill level that maximizes profit
for both buying and selling for all of Vvardenfell's merchants.
Note: "Buying" items/services does not operate on this curve, therefore you
will always get lower buying prices the higher your mercantile level.
To better illustrate the problem, I sold that limeware platter from the Census
& Excise office (valued at $650) to Arrille (Whose disposition towards me was
at 100) while at different mercantile levels (with a personality of 100).
Mercantile Level Selling Price
---------------- -------------
5 $446
10 $467
15 (apex) $487
20 $446
100 $121 (Ouch!!!)
There is a solution that involves mercantile's sister skill: speechcraft. If
you lower the merchant's dispostion your selling prices will begin to improve.
Start by intimidating the merchant. Once having done so successfully you will
notice that their disposition has temporarily improved. However, if you exit
the dialog box and then re-engage the merchant in discussion you will see that
their disposition has now fallen a great deal. Repeat as necessary to recieve
a respectable selling price. Yes, you can also do this with a low speechcraft
skill as failed attempts will also cause the merchant's dispostion to drop,
but a high speechcraft skill is required to raise the merchant's dispostion
back to 100 to then receive a better buying price.
Warning: Do not let their dispostion drop below 20 as they will not barter
with you and may not even engage you in further conversation. Also,
do not taunt the merchant to lower their dispostion as that may land
you in a brawl.
To better illustrate the solution, I once again sold that platter to Arrille
with my mercantile, speechcraft, and personality levels set at 100. The
variable here was Arrille's disposition.
Disposition Selling Price
----------- -------------
100 $121
90 $162
80 $203
70 $243
60 $284
50 $325
40 $365
30 $406
20 $446
In this manner you can get both lower buying prices AND higher selling prices.
A power-gamer will have noticed that you can make an exponential amount of
money from buying and selling the same item back and forth from a merchant by
simply raising/lowering their disposition. If you are a role-player then avoid
doing so as it shatters Morrowinds already broken economic system. Role-
players should also refrain from selling items to either the Creeper or the
Mudcrab as they pay out full value regardless of your skill/attribute levels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
c. Running & Jumping
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Athletics and acrobatics level insanely fast, almost without effort. Including
both in your skill set can put you in an awkward situation where you have
advanced to a level you are ill prepared for. Morrowind's baddies get tougher
as you level up. If you have levelled up and all you have to show for it is
increased running speed and a mightier leap (but weak weapon/armor skills),
then all you'll be able to do when you encounter that level 10 critter is run
and jump away as fast as fast can be.
On the other hand, putting just ONE of these skills in your minor skill-set
(never major) can enhance mobility and provide some (but not too much) aid in
advancement. However, if you need that skill slot for something else, then
feel free to leave both athletics and acrobatics as miscellaneous - they'll
level up just fine from there.
------------------
4. Major or Minor?
------------------
Now we need to differentiate the major skills from the minor. Generally, your
major skills should be the five skills that are the most important to your
character and/or the hardest to train. Refer to the following guidelines for
skill specific advice.
Defensive Skills Requirement: If you have two offensive skills in your
skill-set then at least one of them should be a major skill. If you have three
offensive skills then two should be major skills. This is to help offset the
slower pace that these skills will be developing at (see E.2.a. Offense).
Axe, Blunt Weapon, Long Blade, Short Blade, & Spear:
Melee weapons level up at a fairly brisk pace and can therefore start off
as minor skills, though they can also be set as major skills if needed to
meet the defensive skills requirement.
Heavy, Medium, Light, & Unarmored:
You should make your primary armor class a major skill and any secondary
armor class (see "E.2.b. Defense") a minor skill.
Destruction, Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Mysticism, & Restoration:
The various magic schools can be easy to advance in if you cheese them
(repeatedly cast a low casting cost spell, replenish your magicka, repeat)
but it should also be noted that you are awarded up to two free magic
spells per magic school for starting out at higher levels of skill.
Destruction:
Level 25 = Fire Damage, Spell Cost = 6
Range-Touch, Duration 1, Magnitude 15-30.
Alteration:
Level 25 = Water Walking, Spell Cost 9
Range-self, Duration 60.
Level 30 = Shield, Spell Cost 15
Range-Self, Duration 30, Magnitude 5.
Illusion:
Level 30 = Chameleon, Spell Cost 15
Range-Self, Duration 30, Magnitude 10.
Level 30 = Sanctuary, Spell Cost 15
Range-Self, Duration 30, Magnitude 10.
Conjuration:
Level 25 = Bound Dagger, Spell Cost 6
Range-Self, Duration 60.
Level 30 = Summon Ancestral Ghost, Spell Cost 21
Range-Self, Duration 60.
Mysticism:
Level 30 = Detect Animal, Spell Cost 19
Range-Self, Duration 5, Magnitude 50-150
Restoration:
Level 30 = Restore Health, Spell Cost 13
Range-Self, Duration 1, Magnitude 20-80.
So, if you would like to begin the game with one of the spells listed
above, make sure that you start out at the appropriate level for that
magic school. Summon Ancestral Ghost, in particular, is vital if the
Atronach is your chosen birthsign.
Armorer, Block, Enchant, Marksman, Security, & Sneak:
These skills are difficult to advance in and should be major skills.
Acrobatics, Athletics, Alchemy, Hand to Hand, Mercantile, & Speechcraft:
These skills are easy to advance in and should be minor. See "E.3.c.
Running & Jumping" for specific advice concerning athletics & acrobatics.
Note: While "cheesing" skills (repeatedly performing an action with the sole
intention of artificially levelling a skill) is the bread and butter of
a power gamer, a good role-player should avoid doing so.
----------------------
5. Favorite Attributes
----------------------
Now that you have selected ten skills (five major & five minor) you will need
to select your favorite attributes. Simply choose the two attributes that
govern the majority of your chosen skills. This will have the broadest
beneficial impact upon your character. An alternative path many take is to
select luck (as there are no skills governed by it and hence no multipliers
for it) and endurance (as it, like 401k, is better when invested in early on).
This set up, while weakening the focus of your character, can make him/her
more well rounded.
Agility: Block, Light Armor, Marksman, & Sneak.
Endurance: Heavy Armor, Medium Armor, & Spear.
Intelligence: Alchemy, Conjuration, Enchant, & Security.
Luck: N/A
Personality: Illusion, Mercantile, & Speechcraft.
Speed: Athletics, Hand to Hand, Short Blade, & Unarmored.
Strength: Acrobatics, Armorer, Axe, Blunt Weapon, Long Blade.
Willpower: Alteration, Destruction, Mysticism, & Restoration.
If two or more attributes are tied in respect to the number of governed
skills, then choose the lower attribute or adhere to the following general
guidelines concerning class specialization.
Combat: Endurance & Strength.
Magic: Intelligence & Willpower.
Stealth: Agility & Speed.
Since your two favorite attributes will receive a ten point boost, the
following chart is provided in case you would like to see what your race's
base attributes are (as this may influence your decision).
RACE | AGI | END | INT | LCK | PER | SPD | STR | WIL |
---------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
Argonian | 50/50 | 30/30 | 40/50 | 40/40 | 30/30 | 50/40 | 40/40 | 30/30 |
Breton | 30/30 | 30/30 | 50/50 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 30/40 | 40/30 | 50/50 |
Dark Elf | 40/40 | 40/30 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 30/40 | 50/50 | 40/30 | 30/30 |
High Elf | 40/40 | 40/30 | 50/50 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 30/40 | 30/30 | 40/40 |
Imperial | 30/30 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 50/50 | 40/30 | 40/40 | 30/40 |
Khajiit | 50/50 | 30/40 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 40/30 | 30/30 |
Nord | 30/30 | 50/40 | 30/30 | 40/40 | 30/30 | 40/40 | 50/50 | 40/50 |
Orc | 35/35 | 50/50 | 30/40 | 40/40 | 30/25 | 30/30 | 45/45 | 50/45 |
Redguard | 40/40 | 50/50 | 30/30 | 40/40 | 30/40 | 40/40 | 50/40 | 30/30 |
Wood Elf | 50/50 | 30/30 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 40/40 | 50/50 | 30/30 | 30/30 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Note: Attribute scores are listed as male/female. E.g. An Argonian male has
40 Intelligence while the female has 50.
If an attribute is already receiving bonus points from a birthsign, then you
may want to consider choosing the next attribute in line as a favorite
attribute instead so as to better balance out your initial stats.
Also, If an attribute governs two or more skills but starts out lower than
level 40, you should consider making it a favorite attribute (even if another
attribute governs more skills) so as to remedy a potential weakness.
-------------
6. Birthsigns
-------------
Read "D.2. Birth Sign Selection" as it is relevant here as well (though, for a
custom class, your decision should be based on your overall character rather
than your class specialization). What follows are the specifics of each
birthsign as the game manual only offers a vague description. Just as with a
race's specials, abilities are always active, powers can only be used once per
24 hour period, and spells (that are specials) will always succeed when cast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a. The Apprentice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Maximum Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 15.
- see "C. Magicka Prerequisite"
Weakness to Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
b. The Atronach
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spell Absorption (ability): range-self, magnitude 50.
Fortify Maximum Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 20.
- see "C. Magicka Prerequisite"
Stunted Magicka (ability): range-self.
Note: If you choose this sign, you should include conjuration as a major
skill, as you'll need to summon ancestral ghosts (and eventually
Atronachs) to restore your magicka. An alternative is to create an
enchantment that summons an ancestral ghost for 9 seconds - which is
just long enough to take a swing at it, piss it off, and have it cast
a magicka nourishing fireball at you.
~~~~~~~~~~~
c. The Lady
~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Personality (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
Fortify Endurance (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
~~~~~~~~~~~
d. The Lord
~~~~~~~~~~~
Restore Health (spell, cost 15): range-self, duration 30, magnitude 2.
Weakness to Fire (ability): range-self, magnitude 100.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
e. The Lover
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Agility (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
Lover's Kiss (power)
Paralyze: range-target, duration 60.
Damage Fatigue: range-self, duration 1, magnitude 200.
~~~~~~~~~~~
f. The Mage
~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Maximum Magicka (ability): range-self, magnitude 5.
- see "C. Magicka Prerequisite"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
g. The Ritual
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turn Undead (spell, cost 10): Range-target, duration 30, magnitude 100.
Turn Undead (spell, cost 5): range-touch, duration 30, magnitude 100.
Restore Health (power): range-self, duration 1, magnitude 100.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
h. The Serpent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Star Curse (power)
Poison: range-touch, duration 30, magnitude 3.
Damage Health: range-self, duration 30, magnitude 1.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i. The Shadow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Invisibility (power): range-self, duration 60.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
j. The Steed
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Speed (ability): range-self, magnitude 25.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
k. The Thief
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sanctuary (ability): range-self, magnitude 10.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
l. The Tower
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beggar's Nose (spell, cost 5)
Detact Animal: duration 60, magnitude 200.
Detect Enchantment: duration 60, magnitude 200.
Detect Key: duration 60, magnitude 200.
Open (power): range-touch, magnitude 50.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
m. The Warrior
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fortify Attack (ability): range-self, magnitude 10.
------------------
7. Recommendations
------------------
Now I present my personal recommendations. Feel free to play as any one of
them or simply use them as starting templates.
~~~~~~~~~~~
a. Argonian
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Magic
Major: Conjuration, Enchant, Illusion, Medium Armor, Spear
Minor: Alchemy, Athletics, Destruction, Mysticism, Unarmored
Attributes: Endurance & Willpower
Birthsign: The Atronach
~~~~~~~~~
b. Breton
~~~~~~~~~
Class: Magic
Major: Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Enchant, Unarmored
Minor: Alchemy, Blunt Weapon, Illusion, Mysticism, Restoration
Attributes: Intelligence & Willpower
Birthsign: The Atronach
~~~~~~~~~~~
c. Dark Elf
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Stealth
Major: Destruction, Light Armor, Marksman, Security, Sneak
Minor: Athletics, Mercantile, Mysticism, Short Blade, Speechcraft
Attributes: Agility & Willpower
Birthsign: The Mage
~~~~~~~~~~~
d. High Elf
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Magic
Major: Conjuration, Destruction, Enchant, Restoration, Unarmored
Minor: Alchemy, Alteration, Blunt Weapon, Illusion, Mysticism
Attributes: Intelligence & Willpower
Birthsign: The Atronach
~~~~~~~~~~~
e. Imperial
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Stealth
Major: Light Armor, Long Blade, Marksman, Security, Sneak
Minor: Acrobatics, Hand to Hand, Mercantile, Restoration, Speechcraft
Attributes: Agility, Strength
Birthsign: The Lover
~~~~~~~~~~
f. Khajiit
~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Stealth
Major: Light Armor, Marksman, Security, Short Blade, Sneak
Minor: Acrobatics, Hand to Hand, Mercantile, Speechcraft, Unarmored
Attributes: Personality & Speed
Birthsign: The Lover
~~~~~~~
g. Nord
~~~~~~~
Class: Combat
Major: Armorer, Block, Blunt Weapon, Enchant, Medium Armor
Minor: Athletics, Mercantile, Restoration, Spear, Speechcraft
Attributes: Endurance & Strength
Birthsign: The Lady
~~~~~~
h. Orc
~~~~~~
Class: Combat
Major: Armorer, Axe, Block, Enchant, Medium Armor
Minor: Athletics, Mercantile, Restoration, Spear, Speechcraft
Attributes: Endurance & Strength
Birthsign: The Lady
~~~~~~~~~~~
i. Redguard
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Combat
Major: Armorer, Block, Enchant, Long Blade, Heavy Armor
Minor: Athletics, Mercantile, Restoration, Spear, Speechcraft
Attributes: Endurance & Strength
Birthsign: The Lady
~~~~~~~~~~~
j. Wood Elf
~~~~~~~~~~~
Class: Stealth
Major: Light Armor, Marksman, Security, Short Blade, Sneak
Minor: Acrobatics, Alchemy, Hand to Hand, Mercantile, Speechcraft
Attributes: Personality & Speed
Birthsign: The Lover
===============================
F. Custom Classes: Class Driven
===============================
Most role-players will begin with a theme (like ninja-pirate) and then craft
their characters accordingly, while power-players will design around a concept
(like "easy levelling"). This chapter is applicable to both approaches.
The steps for both race and class driven character creation are the same, only
the order you will undertake them has changed. To illustrate, I shall simply
revise the Nightblade theme, as the pre-made class never played properly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nightblade (pre-made) - for comparison purposes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Race: Dark or Wood Elf (see D.1. Race/Class Chart)
Class: Magic
Major: Alteration, Illusion, Mysticism, Shortblade, Sneak
Minor: Destruction, Light Armor, Marksman, Security, Unarmored
Attributes: Speed & Willpower
Birthsign: Apprentice or Atronach (see C. Magicka Prerequisite)
------------------
1. Skill Selection
------------------
First, list out the 10 skills essential to your custom class.
1. Acrobatics
2. Alteration
3. Destruction
4. Enchant
5. Illusion
6. Light Armor
7. Marksman
8. Mysticism
9. Shortblade
10. Sneak
Deletions (one stealth & one magic skill):
Security - Unnecessary as I have both Alteration and Mysticism.
Unarmored - Light Armor is the more appropriate primary armor for a
character that will engage in "stealthy close combat"
(Morrowind game manual). The only reason to consider placing
Unarmored as a secondary armor (see E.2.b Defense) is if I
chose a beast race.
Additions (one stealth & one magic skill):
Acrobatics - The manual states that "Nightblades are spellcasters who use
their magics to ENHANCE mobility, concealment, and stealthy
close combat." Illusion enhances the "stealthy close combat"
of the shortblade & light armor combination and also enhances
the "concealment" provided by Sneak. Formerly, Alteration did
not enhance anything. Now, it enhances the "mobility"
provided by Acrobatics.
Enchant - I knew I needed to include at least one skill governed by
Intelligence or my maximum magicka would be slow to raise.
Conjuration was out of the question as I already had three
offensive skills (see E.2.a. Offense). Enchant seemed more of a
match than alchemy as it works in conjunction with Mysticism's
Soul Trap spell and also with my future birth sign selection.
------------------
2. Major or Minor?
------------------
Now we shall seperate these skills into major and minor skill slots.
Major: Enchant, Light Armor, Marksman, Shortblade, Sneak
Minor: Acrobatics, Alteration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism
I drafted both Light Armor (to provide better protection) and marksman (as it
is difficult to raise) to the majors. I sent Alteration, Illusion, and
Mysticism back to the minors as they are fairly easy to advance in.
----------------------
3. Favorite Attributes
----------------------
Next, we select our two favorite attributes by adding up the number of skills
governed by each attribute.
Agility: 3
Endurance: 0
Intelligence: 1
Luck: N/A
Personality: 1
Speed: 1
Strength: 1
Willpower: 3
Since Agility and Willpower govern the majority of our skills they will be our
favorite attributes.
-----------------------
4. Class Specialization
-----------------------
Now we determine our specialization. In this instance we have five magic and
five stealth skills so we could specialize in either magic or stealth. So, to
counterbalance my putting stealth skills in the majority of the major skill
slots, I shall select magic as my character's specialization.
---------------------
5. Race Determination
---------------------
Race selection comes afterwards. Here you will determine the amount of racial
skill bonuses that match your newly created skill-set (similar to the D.1.
Race/Class Chart).
Race | Bonus Pts|
-------------------|
Argonian| 10 |
Breton | 20 |
Dark Elf| 35 |
High Elf| 20 |
Imperial| 5 |
Khajiit | 30 |
Nord | 0 |
Orc | 0 |
Redguard| 5 |
Wood Elf| 40 |
--------------------
You can see that a Wood Elf (40) is the best choice though a Dark Elf (35) can
also play the part. Personally, I am choosing the Dark Elf as I prefer its
character models and specials (see E. Custom Classes: Race Driven). The Dark
Elf is also the more balanced race which better befits a class that is
essentially a balance between a mage and a thief.
------------
6. Birthsign
------------
Lastly, we must choose our birthsign. To meet the magicka requirement for four
schools of magic we must select either the Apprentice or the Atronach (see C.
Magicka Prerequisite). Even though I did not take Conjuration as a major/minor
skill I still feel the Atronach is the better birthsign, so I will simply have
to make do with an enchantment (see E.6.b. The Atronach). Yes, it will take
some time before I am able to afford or create the necessary enchantment, but
I'd rather be inconvenienced at the start of the game than thoughout the
entirety of it (those weaknesses the Apprentice is saddled with are just too
debilitating in my opinion, see E.6. Birthsigns). In addition, I feel that the
strong starting stealth skills (being mostly majors) can carry my character
through until he can cast spells with more frequency/reliability.
Now lets gaze upon our finished product.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nightblade (revised)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Race: Dark Elf
Class: Magic
Major: Enchant, Light Armor, Marksman, Shortblade, Sneak
Minor: Acrobatics, Alteration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism
Attributes: Agility & Willpower
Birthsign: The Atronach
=============
G. Conclusion
=============
In closing, understand that this FAQ does not contain rules, only guidelines.
If you believe that your alter ego, Bosh the barbarian Orc, looks more
fashionable in light glass armor even though medium/heavy armor would make
more sense, then by all means wear it. Even I, the same guy who wrote "wearing
a complete suit of armor . . . will give you the highest possible armor
rating", refuse to let any stealthy character of mine equip a shield. Even
though doing so would make sense from a gameplay perspective, I just don't
feel it fits thematically. Remember, this is a role playing game. The only
real mistake that you could make is to create a character that you cannot
identify with nor, as a result, immerse yourself within.
===============
H. Contact Info
===============
Questions, comments, or concerns can be emailed to:
"redrum.and.coke@gmail.com"
Please type "FAQ-Morrowind" in the subject line or I will mistake your email
for junk and delete it.